Orgill Case Study | 3 The housing stock in Germantown ranges from upscale new-build communities to a variety of historic homes. The community is very particular about the standard of living and looks to ensure that businesses adhere to the community aesthetic and overall appeal. Like many such areas, the household income level in Germantown is among the highest in the region. Because there is a large amount of disposable income available to Germantown residents and a great deal of pride in homeownership, the community is ideally suited for a strong home improvement market. Even with these opportunities in the community, home improvement stores aren’t plentiful in the city itself. While there are a number of hardware and home improvement stores in the greater Memphis area, in Germantown, the options are primarily limited to big-box retailer Lowe’s and longtime independently operated Germantown Hardware. Germantown Hardware also sits less than 10 miles from Orgill’s headquarters in Collierville, Tennessee. A Legacy in the Community Since 1998, Germantown Hardware (located at 2083 South Germantown Road, near the corner of South Germantown Road and Poplar Avenue), has been a fixture in the community for hardware and home improvement supplies. The location is in an ideal spot for a retail outlet as Poplar Avenue is a primary artery between downtown Memphis, the freeway and the suburbs. Thousands of affluent consumers pass by the location on a daily basis to and from their places of employment. John and Marcia Wagner, along with their son Justin, owned and operated Germantown Hardware for the last two decades, originally purchasing the roughly 14,000-square-foot former Ace Hardware location in 2001. John worked for many years in finance, and upon his retirement, he and his son Justin acquired Germantown Hardware. The Wagners also owned the entire shopping complex where the hardware store was located. Along with Germantown Hardware, the complex contained a pool supply retailer and a drive-through car wash, also operated by the Wagner family. In addition to Germantown Hardware and Germantown Car Wash, the Wagners also owned and operated another business, Memphis Paints. John was very involved in the community of Germantown. He served on boards and committees at the Germantown United Methodist Church and was active with the City of Germantown and served the City’s Economic Development Commission, Financial Advisory Commission and the Great Hall Committee. Under the Wagners’ ownership, Germantown Hardware offered an assortment of hardware, plumbing, electrical, outdoor power equipment and outdoor living products and lawn and garden supplies. It also featured a small engine repair shop. The store carried a variety of well-known brands including Weber, Big Green Egg, Stihl outdoor power equipment and Benjamin Moore paint. While the business had done well since the Wagners’ acquisition, there was room for improvement. The store had not been remodeled for some time and, while it had some categories it was well known for, such as lawn and garden, paint and grilling, the product selection and inventory levels made it difficult for customers to shop for complete projects. Before - Germantown Hardware Exterior
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